Risk prediction models are widely used in primary care to identify and initiate therapy in those at risk for future cardiovascular events. While conventional risk factors such as smoking and hypertension are reliably and robustly represented in these models, the value of newer emerging biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen are of uncertain […]
Tag: CRP
Statins show benefit regardless of CRP
Some previous studies – most noticeably the JUPITER trial – have suggested that the vascular benefits of statin therapy may be greater in the presence of inflammation. C-reactive protein (CRP), a systemic marker of inflammation, has been associated with the risk of ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and vascular mortality, but its ability to act as […]
Genetic study suggests CRP not causal in atherosclerosis
Increased levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) are associated with an increased risk of ischaemic heart and cerebrovascular disease. But is CRP a causal factor in atherosclerosis development or merely a marker for ischaemic vascular disease? Evidence to suggest a role for CRP in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is predominantly from epidemiological studies. These have consistently […]
JUPITER puts primary prevention into new orbit
Current guidelines recommend statin treatment for patients with known vascular disease, diabetes or elevated lipid levels. Yet half of myocardial infarctions and strokes occur in apparently healthy individuals with levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that are below current threshold levels for treatment. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory biomarker which can […]